Apparatus for draining and cleaning superheaters



March 20, 192& 1,662,953

v B. BRQIDO APPARATUS FOR DRAINING AND CLEANING SUPERHEATERS Filed11.20, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A k 9 9 v BENJAMIN 680/00 March 20, mm

B. snolno APPARATUS FOR DRAI NING AND CLEANING SUPERHEATERS Filed Auz.20, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- J v 7///////// R a a Y M a 24/ B u V P. 5 9 LJ m \M I 3 Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

,. v UNITEDT TAT S PATENT JQVEFICE.

BENJAMIN noipo, or NEW YO it. YI, smo TO THE surnan'na'rnn oomrm;

new roux, N. n, A conroaArron or DELAWARE.

iarmna'ros FOR DRAI ING AND CLEANING sornnnna'rnns;

'Applicat1on filed August 20, 1921; Serial No. 493,900.

The invention relates particularly to superheaters of a constructionfltobe described farther on, although its use is not confined to that classof structures, and has for its 5 primary purpose the provision ofapparatus with which moisture and other matter which may haveaccumulated in thetubes ofthe superheater may'readilyc be removed beforethe boiler ofwhich the superheater forms a part, or the superheaterwhen'it'is separate from the boiler, is fired up. It is of use also forforcing water or otherliquids' through the superheater tubes to wash orclean them out; and such use of the apparatus is evidently not confinedto super-heaters but may occur in devices used for other purposes iftheir construction is otherwise adapted to it.

IVhile in the following description my invention is spoken of only inconnection with superheaters, and its function only as related to onepurpose, this is not to be interpreted as limitingit in these respects.f 1

' For an understanding of the invention the following description, to beread'in connection with the accompanying drawings, Will be sufiicient."In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view ofa boiler and itssetting, equipped with a superheater of the type to which my inventionapplies; Fig.2 isa somewhat enlarged view illustrating ascotion taken online 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows, myapparatus being shown'in. the position it occupie's duringuse; Rig. 3fisa still more onlarged sectional view of my apparatus in the position 'itoccupies in the superheater header during use, the section being takenon line 3-3 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 4 is a section on lines-'45 of'Fig. 3. y

The superheater with which myapparatus is to be used may beeitherindependently fired or may be one installed'in the same housingwith a boiler. 'In the latter case the type of boiler it is'install'edinis immaterial In the drawings I have-illustrated the superheater asinstalled in a Hi R. Ti boiler. The housing enclosing itis designated'byreference numeral 1 The boiler bears the numeral 2. 33 are the twoheaders of the superheater. To them are secured the superheater elements4. 5 is the steampipedelivering steam from the boiler to one of theheaders. It is connected to the header by the elbow 6, which is providedwith a valved drain as far as the use of my device is concerned.

pipe 7 At the opposite end of theother header the'flange8 is providedfor securing to the header the steam main which carries the steam to thepoint of use. This steam main is not shown, as it forms no part of myinvention and has noconnection with it. 8 is a flange to which is boltedthe cover 8 If the connection to the steam main is broken at 8 thedevice may be inserted into the headerthrough this end, and in thedrawing it is supposed to be so inserted. If this connection is notbrokemit may, and usually will be more convenient to remove the cover 8and insert it from that endf I shall now explain the need of the kindIhave invented. After the superheater has been installed it; is customaryto test it by filling it with water under the desired pressure. If thiswater is allowed to remain in the elements, there is danger during coldweather of injury to the elements .byits freezing. Under such conditionsit is therefore desirable to drain the superheater. Moreover if it isnot drained, trouble may occur. from water 30 hammer. Y In some casesthesuperheater elements are horizontal and then itisvusually feasible toarrange the headers-so draining is readily accomplished. Butin othercases the element-s' are in a vertical position with .the' headers atthe top, and then draining may not be so readily accomplished/ There areat times important advantages in placing the elements vertically and theheaders at the top which may make it advisable to' retain thatarrangement. I r

With headers of theconstruction shown in the drawing and presently to bedescribed in some detail, draining of the units is easily effectedwithmy device, no matter what the position of the superheater elements.

; The form of headers referred to is the one protected by United StatesPatent No. 1,363,713, granted to me on December 28th,

for a device 1 1920. A header made according to that patent consistsessentially of a pipe 9, and

'abar 10, located in the pipeias appears;

clearly-fin Figs. 2, 3, and 4,-of the'present application. Holes 11extend through the 5 bar and the pipe, the enlarged heads 12=of theelements 4 engaging the outer ends of the holes, and being held inengagement by means of clamps 13. In the form illustrated the clamp doesnot act directly on the enlarged heads, but presses against washers 14which in turn engage the heads. The clamp is pressed against the washersby means of stud-bolt15land nut 16, theformer extend ing through thewall of the header and being screwed into the. bar 10. 17 is a lock nut,serving also to protect the end of bolt 15.

I shall now describe my improvement which is to be used in connectionwith superheaters having headers such as described.

1 Ahead, 18, which may be a casting or a forging has its flat face 19held in engagement with the flat outer face of bar 10 by means of thetwo compression springs 20. The opposite ends of the springs 20 bearagainst a forged or cast shoe 21, which bears against the opposite innerside of the pipe 9. The screws 22 serve. to guide the springs 20 andtheshoe 21 as well as to limit the outward motion of the latter when theapparatus is withdrawn from the header. Two flanges, 23--23, of head 18engage the two sides of bar 10. The interior of the headxl8 ishollow,the hollow being preferably of about the width of the holes 11, andextending to the flat face 19. A threaded opening from this interior hasscrewed into it the pipe 24, which extends in a direction parallel tothe axis of the header. The size of the hollow is preferably such thatit covers one or at most two of the holes 11, at any one time. .The pipe24 is connected with a compressed air supply (not shown) and at the sametime serves to move the apparatus longitudinally in the header, so as tobring it successively into registry with all of the holes 11.

In explanation of the use" of my device the following may be Said. If.thesuperheater elements are. for the reason spoken ofabove or fromanyother cause filled or partly filled with water, and it is desired toremove this water before firing up, the

connection to one of the headers is opened,

as at flange 8 (or,.if desired, at flange 8") and the implementinserted. If only one of the headers is supplied with a drain 7, theimplement will be inserted into the header not so supplied. The drainbeing opened,

compressed air is then admitted to pipe 24 and the implement slowlymoved along toward the farther end of the header. The springs 20 willkeep the flat face in close engagement with the flat face of the bar 10.

The compressed air will force the water 'from each element into theother header,

tubes 4 open into the upper header 3 through i whence it flows outthrough drain. 7. The

the bar 10'as ex lainedabove, and as this bar is at one si e of theheader above its bottom, and the water forced out of any pipe is only asmall amount, this water flows off without filling the headerto a pointwhere the water might flow back into elements already blownout;

It is obviously not necessary that the headers should be placed in justthe position shown to make n iyinvention available. The bars 10 mightequallywell be at top or bottom of the headers, and in fact, to adaptthe device to headers of some other .constructions will require onlyslight modifica- ,tions.

While I speak above of compressed air as being used. for the purpose ofblowing out the elements, itis evident that some the headerabove itsbottom and portions of which are entirely below their ends; the

combination 'ofsaid headersiand elements; a hollow blower head having aface adapted to seat against the openings of the element 1 ends in oneof the headers; resilient means forcing thehead toward said openings andengaging the opposite inner wall of the header; and means to bring thehead successively into seating engagement with said openings and :tosupply fluid under pressure toit. H

2. In a superheater of theclass described, the combination of a pipe; abar. extending longitudinally in it and securedto itswall, the pipe andbar having'registering. holes through them adapted for the attachment ofsuperheater elements; a hollow head adapted to slide longitudinallyonthe bar; resilient means bearingoirthe head and on the oppositewall andkeeping the head in engagement with the bar; the hollow in the headextending to the face in engagement

